Tuesday, December 29, 2015

I have been thinking of switching up this blog for a long time now. It's always been a bit of a mishmash and since I rarely blog about writing anymore (even though I still am a writer and editor), I wanted a place more solely devoted to art, mail art, correspondence, and most of the things that this blog has become lately. Perhaps it's a bit of my "coming out" as an artist, actually giving myself permission to say the word, that led me to finally create this new blog. I've also been writing here since 2006 and, frankly, the platform is getting a bit dated and I can't do all that I'd like to. So, if you are one of my handful of followers, I hope you'll check out Adrienne Mason Art and perhaps even hang out with me over there, as I explore art (collage in particular), mail art, letter writing, postal history, the making of little accordion books, and more.

This blog isn't going anywhere, and there is still lots to look through, but it likely won't be updated all that often. Thanks for reading!

Sunday, March 29, 2015

After such a good streak, that was a long time to leave the blog. I have been thinking of it--and getting to my art table on occasion--but I've been preoccupied by this. Art making and correspondence has slowed down in the last few months, but I'm managing to chip away at things. So if I owe you a letter, it's coming. Truly. Here are a few things that have been passing through, either in or out.

Aren't these beauties? I was very lucky to spend some time in San Francisco with a mail art friend and she took me to SCRAP. (Among other things. We had a wonderful day together.) I picked up a few things, but these book covers with their stunning "chops" were definitely the highlight. I'm hoping someone can tell me what they say! Thanks for the great day, Pamela.

Below are a few new collage cards that have been whisking their way to various parts of the globe. Just playing around.

For this collage and the ones that follow I actually used scissors, something that I haven't done for awhile. It was quite cathartic sniping all those nice squares and rectangles...

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Yes, I'm still here. Some personal things in the great adventure called life have slowed me down a bit; I won't bog you down with details. I've found collaging my way through it all very therapeutic. When I spend time collaging I try not to over think what I do. It's a meditative, perhaps intuitive?, process for me. I just move things around until the composition feels right and then I get the glue stick out. Nick Bantock talks about composition in The Trickster's Hat (one of my favourites and I'm currently working through a few exercises): "Composition is really hard to teach, mainly because balance is innate. Yes, there are mathematical rules of harmony and the golden mean can be measured, but the real acid test is not geometrics - it's purely a matter of whether you can feel the rightness of something in relationship to its surroundings. Do you internally "know" when something is right or when it is just off?"
If you are waiting for mail from me, I'm back in the saddle and hope to be caught up soon. Thanks for your patience. And I'm drowning a bit in small collages; I may give some away…stay tuned.

Tough City Writer

I'm a writer and editor from Tofino (aka Tough City, thus Tough City Writer). When I first started this blog, it was to focus on books, writing, reading, occasionally my own writing, and other subjects of questionable worth. Now, I'm expanding the scope - art, life, food, travel - whatever inspires me to get my fingers on the keyboard. For posts more specific to Tofino, check out my other blog, The Heart of Tofino, www.theheartoftofino.com. For more about my work, see www.adriennemason.com.